Shards of Time is another HOA to fall off the cookie-cutter assembly line over at G5 Entertainment. With so many of these games coming out week after week they can’t all be winners, and while Shards of Time isn’t exactly a loser, it has a way to go to rise above its mediocre trappings. Simply put, there is nothing new or original about this game. The story is thin at best, having you play as a young girl, Lisa, traveling through time and locations ranging from the Wild West to the Far East in search of the pieces of a powerful amulet that when assembled, can heal Lisa’s dying Aunt Matilda.

Shards of Time follows all the rules of creating a HOA as well as playing one. It presents you with 80 locations to explore, often with backtracking to pre-explored scenes. You’ll encounter over a dozen somewhat interesting, albeit stereotypical characters and engage in some banter that often defies the timeline and is even a bit insulting at times. And a dozen mini-games will keep you busy when you aren’t scouring the various background scenes for hidden objects.

The hidden object searches are either for a list of random items or you might have to find a certain amount of a single type of item specific to the era and the location. If you get stuck, you can always summon your faithful hint dog after his cool-down timer has filled back up and he will fetch an item off the screen.

Often, you will have to go and find your next item hunt or puzzle, as the game doesn’t advance itself. You might get a clue on where to go next but you actually have to go there to trigger the event. A glitter trail will keep you on the right path.

Graphics are okay as is the sound and music. Everything is merely average, and the puzzles are definitely on the easy side, so don’t expect much of a challenge unless you are handing this off to a first-time HOA gamer. At least the $2 price of admission makes this a bit more palatable, so if you are looking for your next easy, casual HOA fix then check out Shard of Time, otherwise you’re probably better off waiting to see what comes out next.